Wherever humans exist, so do spirit guides. In essence, a spirit guide is a non-physical entity that can act as a benevolent friend and empowering ally. They might also appear briefly to offer encouragement and solace. While sometimes referred to as “spiritual guides,” I prefer the term “spirit guides” to distinguish them from our human friends and teachers who also serve as spiritual guides in our earthly lives. The Bible often uses the term “angels,” which is a potentially misleading translation of the Greek word angelos, meaning “messenger”.
It’s wise to approach information about spirit guides with a discerning mind. While I aim to provide a credible perspective, ultimately, your own experiences will determine the reality of spirit guides for you. I encourage you to explore this dimension with an open mind.
Encountering My First Spirit Guide
My initial spirit guide was Jesus, although he wasn’t presented that way in my Sunday School lessons. However, he perfectly embodies my definition of “a non-physical being who can be your loving friend and empowering companion.”
From an early age, I was taught that Jesus desired my friendship. In my Southern Baptist church, everyone communicated with him, even though they acknowledged his physical absence. This was the practice of “prayer.” While it was assumed that he heard their prayers, no one suggested that Jesus might respond personally. Nor did I feel his presence. I always believed he resided in a distant “heaven.”
This situation persisted throughout seminary. Seminaries often prioritize religious information over spiritual experience. We were taught to be wary of experiences, except for a “conversion experience.” If not a tangible experience, one was expected to have a specific day and time when they “accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.” I identified as a rebel and stated that I have always loved Jesus and therefore did not require a “conversion.”
During and after seminary, I remained captivated by the phenomenology of the Bible, rather than the theology derived from the spiritual experiences of Jesus and others. Later, I sought out charismatic leaders, hoping their experiences would influence me. However, I was still early in my therapy and unaware of my sexuality. The suppression of feelings that religion supposedly disapproved of left little “spiritual presence” to sense God’s presence. Abusive religion can be traumatic and damaging to LGBTQ+ individuals.
That shifted at age 60, when I was introduced to subtle states of consciousness through Buddhist practices, where the Living Jesus now resides. Concurrently, I embraced my identity. My spiritual feelings awakened alongside my sexual feelings! And there was Jesus, my friend, waiting patiently! And he had friends waiting for me as well.
The Significance of Jesus’s Dialogue with Moses and Elijah
As I engaged in real conversations with Jesus in the subtle, non-physical realm, I began to perceive overlooked aspects of the New Testament. Despite being a lifelong follower and student of the New Testament, I hadn’t fully grasped the implications of Jesus’s need to converse with his spirit guides, Moses and Elijah. I often questioned why he would speak to them when he could communicate directly with God.
The Transfiguration account, central to the first three Gospels, serves as a practical model for connecting with our spirit guides (Matt. 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36). Like WeSpace groups, this was a small circle of Jesus’ friends who shared their lives and experienced together the presence of God along with other spiritual guides. During the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah, appeared in living, visionary color and sound. In their non-physical forms, they were encouraging Jesus. “They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31).
Jesus sought guidance concerning his impending death. Who better to offer encouragement than Moses and Elijah! Peter, James, and John, having entered the subtle visionary realm through the powerful spiritual energy, also witnessed Moses and Elijah! All the energetic fields were alive. Then God got personally involved, and there was more conversation going on from God to all four of the remaining spiritual beings who were still in their physical bodies.
Lessons from Jesus’s Interaction with His Spirit Guides
Embracing this event as a model for my own life has had transformative implications.
1. Jesus conversed with identifiable, named, non-physical beings. He didn’t consider this unusual. His guides were present during his temptation (Matt 4:11; Mark 1:13), and in Gethsemane (Luke 22:43). Followers of Jesus should consider this a legitimate activity. Jesus, talked to dead people.
2. Why didn’t he consult God about his “departure?” Jesus needed something that only formerly flesh and blood beings could offer – something from those who had personally experienced life and death. The Apostle Paul summarized the purpose of hearing from the other side: comfort, strength, and encouragement (1 Cor. 14:3). If Jesus required this help, so do I.
3. This contact occurred in a non-ordinary state of consciousness. It requires intention and connection in a mystical realm.
4. It was an honest dialogue about his struggles. He needed help, and he received it from two dead guys.
5. It involved visionary phenomena. It involved the energy fields of the subtle body presences of non-physical beings. It also involved mystical light, pulling back the veil to reveal Jesus as a being of great dazzling light. He was undoubtedly aware of this experience when he said that both he, along with us, were “the light of the world” (John 8:12, Matt 5:14).
6. Jesus had less dramatic encounters with his friends from the other side. Spirit guides appeared to his pregnant mom and dad. They announced to Bethlehem’s shepherds that Jesus had been born. Spirit guides told the new parents to flee to Egypt. Spirit guides helped Jesus in the wilderness temptations (Matt 4:11) and praying in Gethsemane nearing his death, “A spirit guide appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him” (Luke 22:43). Spirit guides are available to help us on our journey.
Most often, our connecting with our spiritual guides are much less dramatic but no less transforming. I have never visually “seen” Jesus or my other guides. My conversations emerge as words inside my mind, although occasionally, they seem almost audible. I eventually began to have regular experiences of being touched and beautiful light in my visual field. We are all different, and don’t let the seemingly more dramatic experiences of others keep you from your own.
My First Spirit Guide After Jesus
One day I asked her how I could find out if I had any guides besides Jesus. Aware of my Christian background, she asked if I was attracted to anyone from the Bible or religious history. I said that I was fascinated with Jesus’ friend John. She said, “Ask him if he would be a spirit guide for you.” So right then, I asked him and heard back the words in my head, “I’ve been waiting for you to ask me!” I immediately burst into tears, unusual for the emotionally out of touch, reserved me. I said to him, “I didn’t think you would have time. You must be busy.” His reply was, “Come on, you know that time-space stuff does not apply in my world, only yours.” So began a long, liberating relationship of many years with John. I wrote down what we talked about for several years. Now I enjoy his loving presence and his hand on my right shoulder with occasional brief conversations.
Jesus was also becoming more and more real to me, and I could now sense his presence in front of me. One day I asked him to come closer to me. I immediately felt him in front of me, about an inch from my nose. I said, “That’s too close!” He laughed and moved around to my right side and said, “Is this better?” I felt the touch of his hand on my right arm, which has remained with me, day and night, for many years. I can feel it now as I am writing this. Although I now see other’s spiritual guides relatively quickly, I have never “seen” Jesus, as I said, but I feel his presence somatically and intuitively.
Abusive religion has turned off some to Jesus to such a degree that he is not very accessible to them. If you are one of the mistreated, my message to you is that Jesus understands and happily helps us find other forms to come beside us. These other forms can be the biblically feminine Sophia beside us and other beings of light that we can connect with as companions and guides to encourage us on our journey. For some, this leads to enough healing of the religious trauma to reestablish a healthy relationship with the Living historical Jesus present now in his spiritual body. With others, this may have to wait until the other side.
My encouragement is to, like Jesus did, connect with the guides that are most helpful to you.
Conclusion
Connecting with spirit guides offers a valuable avenue for personal growth and support. By understanding their nature and learning how to engage with them, we can gain insight, encouragement, and a deeper connection to the spiritual realm. Embrace the journey and discover the unique guidance available to you.
